Many businesses do not fully realize how much impact online reviews to thier business. Reviews influence both the customers and search engine’s perception of your business.

Taking time to focus on what clients say about their experience will help you to understand their perspective. Additionally, paying attention to customers ensures you serve them better.

Negative online reviews are not fun at all. Getting one for your business is like being stripped down your pride. These reviews can linger in your search results, and scare away potential customers.

According to a consumer review survey undertaken in 2016 by Bright Local, 84% of individuals trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Moreover, 7 out of 10 people will forego a prospective business because of a featured negative online comment.

There are additional compelling statistics included in the survey that should motivate you to invest more time, energy, and resources into managing your online reviews.

By responding to online reviews, you can:

  • Learn more about your customers and after that maximize your service and communications
  • Recover service delivered to unsatisfied customers
  • Reduce the effect of bad comments that can destroy your business’ reputation
  • Alternatively, you can discover brand enthusiast and make them promoters

Regardless of the location of a review – be it on Facebook, Amazon, or a top directory, you can capitalize on a positive review and decrease the harm of a negative review. Below is how:

Positive Reviews

A good way to control the impact of bad reviews regarding your business is through generating positive reviews. You can do this by approaching current or previous clients who had an exceptional experience with your services and request them to share about it.

In case you decide to reach out to customers through email, be sure to include links to your business’ page on the main review sites, which include Google, Yelp, and others that are essential to your industry.

How to respond to a positive review

Appreciate the customer

The primary thing any business should do is thank a client for his/her positive review. It is a pretty big deal when a customer leaves constructive feedback about their experience. It means this client was fully satisfied with your service to spare some of their time to tell you and the whole world about it. Therefore, whether you appreciate them for being your clients, or for leaving the review, it is important to acknowledge the gesture. While only a small percentage of consumers write reviews, a larger percentage reads them.

Insert the business name while responding to reviews

It is only meaningful if positive reviews about your company are traceable back to you. Consumers should be able to see your business name in their search results. The company’s name may act as a keyword that is easily noticed by potential customers.

Include some marketing

The rare privilege of receiving a positive review should not pass by. Therefore, make the most of the review by throwing in a dash of marketing. Since many potential customers trust reviews, this becomes an added advantage to your business. With this opportunity in place, you can promote your new products or services too.

Request the customer to seek your services again

Since the client has already acknowledged your business as good, it will not be hard to ask him/her for a return visit. By asking to serve customers again shows that you are interested in giving them more great experiences. Additionally, it shows you care about the growth of the business.

In the long run, when a return customer writes reviews about their continued visits, potential clients gain trust with your business.

Share the review

Spread the good word! A good review is free marketing material so share it to other social media platforms. Through sharing more people can see your business reviews, even those who did not intend to search for your services. Whenever possible, tag the reviewer to give them some credit.

How to respond to negative reviews

Negative reviews can feel like a strong punch. The fact that you care deeply about your business means you get hurt when someone says tarnishing things about it. For you and stakeholders out there, a negative review can feel like a personal attack. The following are some useful tips for responding to negative reviews.

Stay neutral

When a client gives a negative response, you can reverse it by dealing with it in a constructive manner that indicates you are a genuine business. Most individuals do not seek perfection online, but only an unpretentious and humane response. In this regard, a negative review can transform to an opportunity to respond transparently. Staying neutral has a good impact to your customers because they are sure of good care.

Apologize

Irrespective of what went wrong, it is prudent to apologize to your unhappy client. The first response to the distressed client should be telling them that you are sorry for any inconvenience. Then request to work with them to solve the issue. Apologizing at the first instance gives your customers the impression that you care. Giving long explanation is often perceived as defensive.

Respond publicly

Immediate responses to negative reviews should occur on public platforms. This participation influences your online presence and allows you to show your clients that you are a proactive business.

Handle the issue offline

After resolving the issue that prompted the negative review publicly, further reach out to the customer via email or phone. Offline response enables a deep dive into the situation and gets rid of unnecessary noise from more commenters who might heat up the issue. Ending issues on good terms with a customer eliminates future cases of negative reviews gone wrong.

Keep your response precise and sweet

No client can turn down a timely and friendly response to an issue. Politeness in most cases succeeds in toning down angry customers. Short responses ensure unnecessary words are not mentioned that may cause an upset. Since you would for the consumer to return, treat them nicely.